


"I love you" and "Too much"

by Celebrate_the_irony



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Multi, best man is in love with groom au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-25
Updated: 2014-02-25
Packaged: 2018-01-13 18:25:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1236535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Celebrate_the_irony/pseuds/Celebrate_the_irony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is getting married which is great really… but he’s not getting married to Harry. This is a shame because Harry is completely and unabashedly in love with him. This can only end well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"I love you" and "Too much"

**Author's Note:**

> Well ok this is from my old blog and its like a year old and really I'm only putting it up here for nostalgic reasons. 
> 
> But its here and if any of you read it good on you, and if any of you remember when it was just on tumblr you get a gold star. I may or may not finish this.
> 
> also title comes from pretty in pink by the Psychedelic Furs

It started with a thud, it usually does when it comes to Louis Tomlinson always one to make an entrance. It was this particular thud that started a chain reaction leading to heartbreak and emotional turmoil. It triggered the revealing of Harry Styles little secret that everybody knew. Everyone except the person it concerned the most. Louis didn’t know which surprised all those involved because Louis was the flatmate, Louis was the self-proclaimed best friend of 13 years, Louis was well Louis. Furthermore, if Louis knew that he didn’t know it would kill him because of the fact the knower of secrets didn’t know the most obvious one. I mean if Louis really stopped to think about it, he would realise that Harry Styles had been in love with him since the very first second they met.

Harry Styles was once told that University was when you were supposed to become a functioning adult oh how wrong they were. He was currently in his boxers watching Pretty in Pink and sobbing into a bowl of ice cream. He always did this when Louis was on a date with his precious Eleanor. He also always cast himself as Duckie, Louis as Andy and Eleanor as Blane. It was a fairly inaccurate casting because Duckie took the rejection far better than Harry did and Duckie was civil heck even friendly towards Blane. Harry howled into a pillow at the mention of rejection and was downright nasty towards Eleanor (well for Harry he was mean which meant that he never said please or thank you to her). He wasn’t sure why though, he was certain that she knew the non-secret and was kind enough to not show any affection towards Louis. Yet Louis was hers and that was enough for many insults to be thrown and pranks to be pulled. Harry was interrupted from this train of thought/sobbing session by a thud.  _The_  thud, that stupid bloody thud, according to Harry it was the worst thud of his life, although Louis’ melodramatic tendencies tended to rub off on Harry. The thud in question was Harry’s room mate crashing into the door of their apartment.

“Ow shit,”

“Louis?” He was home early. This was not good; his eyes were redder than Sebastian the Crab and he wasn’t wearing pants… What was he wearing? He looked down in horror to see his Winnie the pooh boxers his mum gave him three years ago, the ones Louis didn’t know about… fucking shit. He could run and put pants on but he would probably end up wearing something worse than the boxers.

“Wow” Harry heard Louis say from the door. “Just wow,” Harry got up from the couch

“You don’t have to be that dramatic they’re only boxers,” He said crossing his arms defensively. Louis was staring at his hand in disbelief “You’re not talking about the boxers are you?” He sighed, “What did she do this time?”

“I’m getting married,” He murmured “I’m. Getting. Married.” He said putting more emphasis on the words playing with them “I’M GETTING MARRIED!” He shouted and laughed as he tackled Harry to the floor hugging the life out of him.

“You’re what?” Harry said shocked. “But how I thought you-“

“She proposed to me,” He said propping himself up and crossing his legs. “Just out of the blue, we were at the fountain you know the one from the fountain incident,” Harry nodded. “Well we were sitting talking about some stupid thing and then she got down on one knee and asked me to marry her.”

“But you’re so young,” Harry said. Louis couldn’t get married at 21 his mother would never allow it and how exactly are you supposed to teach drama if you haven’t really had any drama in your own life and married men were old and bald Louis was neither of those things. No Louis was being ridiculous and just wanted an excuse to get pissed, in the morning he’ll say to Harry completely hung over that he’s not actually engaged and that he and Eleanor broke up because he is mind-numbingly in love with Harry. This was Harry’s delusion and he was going to stick to it.

“I know but it just feels so… right you know and we have been together for two years,” Louis explained but Harry wasn’t listening.

“Right,” There was a pause as both were thinking. Louis about his future and Harry about crawling back to bed and never getting out.

“I’m calling the boys there needs to be some sort of celebration about this.” Louis pulled his phone out of his pocket

“Does there?” Harry pleaded; Louis looked at him considering his idea.

“I guess not I mean you know I’m only getting married we could always celebrate my next marriage,” Harry breathed a sigh of relief before he realised just how sarcastic Louis was being “Of course we need to celebrate! The Great Tommo is getting off the market forever; we need to mourn the many broken hearts of ladies and gents around the world by getting shit faced.” Louis declared “’Do we need to celebrate?’ HA!” Louis scoffed as he texted the boys “How much booze do we have in the fridge?”

“Enough for Niall and Zayn to start singing Lady Marmalade,” Harry snorted

“Fantastic” Louis grinned and looked up from his phone taking a glance around the flat.

“What are you wearing? And have you been crying?”

“My mother gave me these so you can stop sniggering right now and I was watching Pretty in-“

“You shouldn’t watch that, you know how you get when you watch that movie,” Louis interrupted. How did he know how Harry got? He was always out when he watched it. “Now go put on some proper clothes before they get here we can only handle so much nakedness from you”

“Yes Mum,” Harry said and left before Louis could be offended

* * *

“Alright Louis what’s this big news?” Liam said. Liam was leaning against a wall while Niall and Zayn were on the couch well on the way to getting well and truly pissed. Harry walked in fully dressed and ready to join them on the couch.

“Are you and Haz finally fucking?” Niall said. Harry grabbed a bottle and braced himself.

“What? No! Of course not why would we be fucking?” Louis asked genuinely confused, Harry took a huge swig.

“Oh no… no reason but you know you and Harry would make a pretty bad ass couple,” Niall contemplated, Zayn nodded in agreement.

“Did you just use the word bad ass as an adjective?” Liam said, Niall went to open his mouth

“No don’t even talk to me,”

“Well I’m sorry we all can’t be English majors,”

“I’m studying to get a bachelor in English Literature not English major you’ve watched too many American sitcoms,”

“I thought you saying bad ass as an adjective was kinda sexy,” Zayn muttered to Niall in a way that the entire room heard, Louis mimed dry retching. Niall ignored this and carried on the conversation.

“But they would make a good couple right?”

“Of course they would,” Liam didn’t even have to think about it he, Zayn and Niall have had this conversation a thousand times with Harry and each time was as heartbreaking as the last.

“Anyway getting back to me,” Louis shouted over the both of them “I am about to announce my big news… drum roll if you please.” No one moved Louis sighed. “Fine I’ll do it you lazy bastards” He started hitting his tummy. “I am….”

“High?” Zayn suggested.

“Pregnant?” Liam offered.

“Actually a woman?” Niall joined in on the fun.

“Getting married!” Louis announced and raised his arms as if to say “Ta-daaa!!!” They all looked at him shocked apart from Harry who took another swig.

“You’re what?” Niall was the first to break the silence.

“I am engaged to be wed,” Louis said

“Yep he’s high,” Zayn said.

“To whom?” Liam asked

“Eleanor,” Louis said, there was another pause and Harry took another swig.

“Well can’t say I saw this coming but congratulations Louis,” Zayn raised his bottle in a half-arsed attempt at a toast. Niall and Liam nodded in agreement and lazily raised their bottles.

“Jesus is this it? What does a man have to do to get proper celebratory drinks around here,” Louis said. More evidence for Harry’s theory, maybe he _was_  lying about the engagement and only wanted a reason to celebrate him yes that did sound like the Louis he knew and loved.

“You could have brought champagne, light beer is not celebratory,” Zayn said he was right of course but Louis wasn’t going to admit it.

“Oh yes blame me it’s my fault that we don’t have the right drinks, it’s not like it was the potential best man’s job to get drinks,” Louis sighed and flopped onto a chair.

“Now don’t you start blaming Harry, he didn’t know any better he’s only nineteen,” Niall said

“We’re the same age,” Harry protested

“Don’t be ashamed of your age Harry, it’s ok to be the baby of the group.” Zayn said never one to miss a chance at making fun of Harry.

“You’re still old,” Harry said

“Shut up Harry nobody asked your opinion,” Zayn said haughtily.

“You’ll be getting grey hairs soon,” Harry said. He knew Zayn’s weak spots and he intended to use them Zayn would never win this war.

“At least if I ever do heaven forbid,” he did a quick cross sign; Harry rolled his eyes “I will be taken, when was the last time you had a girlfriend Harry? Oh that’s right never”

“Oh please you know just as well as I do that I’ve never been interested in girls,”

“Still never had a boyfriend,”

“Piss off grandpa,”

“Wait wait what?” Louis said confused “You’re gay?” oh god he told him didn’t he? No he didn’t because he never actually confessed that he was gay he always confessed he was in love with Louis. Shit shit fuckity fuck.

“Erm well,” How the fuck was he supposed to put this without admitting his mad love for Louis he’s never done this before everyone knew the non-secret so he never had to say it everyone just knew “Yeah I guess I am,” He said eyes not moving from the floor.

“Oh”

“What?”

“Well I guess it just explains a lot,” Oh fuck he’s thinking, don’t think thinking is bad someone change the topic. Err the weather is looking awfully nice today, shit shit shit. Liam must have seen him panicking and took pity.

“Well he’s still our baby Haz, now what was it about potential best man?” Harry thanked whoever was up in the sky for making Liam. Liam was a saint and he would be getting a great present this Christmas Harry would make sure of it. Louis, now distracted, suddenly burst into life.

“I was thinking, yes seriously I was you can take that shocked look off your face Mr. Malik I know you don’t possess the ability to do so but I do,” A snigger followed by a thump was heard. “That maybe we could have a contest for best man ‘cause I have four potential candidates and I don’t want to pick just one of you because we all know who I’d pick,” Everyone glanced at Harry who did a pathetic wave. “And that wouldn’t be fair,”

“So you want us to compete against each other for best man,” Liam said trying to comprehend what Louis was thinking Harry couldn’t blame him Louis rarely had an idea and when he had one it probably wasn’t a good one. Louis nodded “Are you out of your mind?” Louis nodded again.

“We agreed we wouldn’t do contests any more do you remember last time?” Zayn said

“Chubby bunnies,” Niall whispered his face became three shades whiter Zayn put his arm round Niall in a lazy attempt at a comforting hug. The Chubby Bunny Championship was two years ago, Niall was the reigning champion for three years the boys had decided once and for all that they were going to beat him. They ran out of marshmallows and were forced to use any sugary thing in the cupboard. There were no winners that day and they spent the next two days puking their guts out.

“Well that was then and this is now we have matured since then,” Louis said. Out of all of them, Harry laughed the loudest; Louis frowned at his idiotic friends.

“Come off it Lou I own Winnie the Pooh boxers,” Harry said. Niall raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

“That is true, anyway this was supposed to be a celebration about me and it’s turned into a dull brawl about you guys.”

“Can we focus on you by getting plastered?” Niall asked, “Because I’m all up for that,”

“Me too,” Harry agreed. They all raised their bottles and shouted,

“To Louis!”

* * *

“Ugh….” It was morning, at least Harry hoped it was morning he wasn’t sure where he was let alone what time it was. He was suddenly surprised by a groan he got in return.

“Goddddddd…… where am I?”

“Louis?” Harry called out groggily.

“Am I?”

“Don’t make me think, it’s too early for this,”

“I think I must be because this… this is my room isn’t it,” Oh god… he was in Louis’ room. What was he doing there? Fuck what if…. no it can’t have Niall must’ve thought it was funny to put them both in the same bed while they slept. “What are you doing in my room?”

“I can’t remember. Where are you?”

“I think I’m in bed… I’m guessing you’re on the floor… unless you’ve shrunk” Ah well this makes more sense drunk Harry must not have wanted to sleep alone so he crawled into this room to be closer to Louis. Drunk Harry was kind of sad and pathetic.

“Shall we go outside and look at the wreckage?” Get out of the room before he embarrassed himself further; that was the plan.

“Give me… a few years… to get up.” Louis said. Harry would roll his eyes but his headache was over-powering.

“Ok I’m going to get up,” Harry reached out for the bed and pulled himself up. He staggered a bit before moving out the room

“You go get em Harry… I’m right behind you,” Louis mumbled into his pillow. Harry was out of the bedroom; plan complete. The living room was a sight to behold, it wasn’t as bad as Harry thought it would be but it was still a disaster zone. Empty bottles were scattered across the room, the furniture was not where it was before the lamp was naked and he was sure that there in the corner was Niall and Zayn’s clothes from the night before.

“Louis?”

“What?” Louis whined

“I think Niall and Zayn are running round naked,”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” That was true although last time they streaked through the university and were arrested for public indecency Harry wasn’t there, he was at high school at the time. No Harry’s criminal record was almost empty apart from the fountain incident, and he and his mother were very proud of this fact.

“Niall! Zayn!” Harry called. He heard a harrumph and followed it. He was not expecting what he found. There lying on Liam was Niall and Zayn wearing nothing but women’s underwear, they also had moustaches drawn on with highlighter and Niall had a lampshade on his head. Liam was completely unscathed apart from a bit of drool on his shirt. They were all asleep and Harry highly doubted that they were getting up any time soon.

“Lou!” Harry whispered loudly. “Lou!”

“What?” Louis had miraculously managed to get out of bed and he was wearing nothing but his undies. Oh good god Harry had to really focus on keeping eye contact. Harry gestured at Louis to come over to where he was Louis looked confused but he complied. “Oh my god!”

“Get a camera quick,” Harry giggled quietly, Louis grinned and grabbed his phone. Many incriminating photos were taken. Louis hid the phone as Harry woke them up

“What do you want?” Zayn mumbled

“You might want to take a look at yourself.” Louis said. Zayn looked confused as he looked down and realised. He didn’t panic as much as they expected him to, apparently he thought he looked good in women’s undies (which he did damn him), but he did have a laughing fit at the sight of Niall.

“Oh my god what did we do?” Zayn said he shook Liam awake. “Liam… Liam… Liam,”

“Hm?” Liam hummed into Niall’s shoulder

“Liam what did we do last night?” Zayn asked. Liam was the sober one in the group, he never drank and he refused to reveal why. Which the group was all cool with, now they always had a responsible adult when they when drinking and having a responsible adult always came in handy. Such as making sure they stay hydrated so the hangover isn’t as bad in the morning and not letting them outside the flat without clothes on.

“Er well Zayn and Niall started singing that slutty song,” Liam said rubbing his eyes and sitting up.

“Lady Marmalade?” Harry suggested

“No actually it was that Rihanna one…” He thought about it for a few seconds “S&M! Anyway you sang that and Louis thought it would be funny if you sang it in Elle’s lingerie. And I think he filmed it, probably for blackmail purposes. Meanwhile Harry was crying about” He noticed Louis and quickly changed his story “from laughter at Zayn and Niall.”

“So we filmed it?” Louis said with a sparkle in his eyes, he raced over to his phone. “Oh my god is that the time shit I gotta go,”

“Why what’s the time?” Liam asked

“12:30,”

“Oh job interview.” Harry said “And I have class in an hour,”

“You have a job interview?” Liam asked as Louis attempted to put his somewhat sensible trousers on.

“Yep for a high school near here actually which would be very convenient ‘cause it’s only a ten minute drive,” Harry said “Is anyone going to wake up Niall?”

“But he’s so much cuter when he’s sleeping,” Zayn protested

“He’s also half-naked and wearing lingerie, let the poor boy keep some of his dignity,” Liam said, he shook Niall off him and Niall landed with a thud on the floor.

“What did I miss?” Niall asked dazed and confused Harry threw his clothes at him, which knocked the lampshade off.

“We’re going to class come on,”

* * *

 

They all went to Uni well all except Louis who graduated last year. Harry and Niall studied Music Theory because it was music and both had an indescribable passion for music. Liam did English Lit. because… well he said he liked it but Harry was fairly sure he never read a book in his life before he picked the course. Harry reckoned that Liam threw a dart at a list of courses and that’s what he ended up with. Zayn wanted to be an artist, which surprised a grand total of no one, but Niall was worrying that he’d end up cutting off his ear so Zayn was studying to become an art teacher and being an artist when Niall wasn’t looking. Anyway, Niall and Harry were going to class. They walked in silence for most of the walk there; this terrified Harry because when Niall wasn’t talking he was thinking. Harry was certain he was going to get a talk of a lifetime from Niall, which wasn’t all bad Niall’s talks had the tendency to be life-changing. They weren’t like Liam’s lectures, his were usually “You fucked up and now here’s what you’re gonna do,” Niall’s were more “You fucked up.” so they tended to be shorter. Harry still didn’t want one though. Niall cleared his throat Harry refused to look at him, Harry did not want this talk. Niall just rolled his eyes and started his talk anyway.

“Look Harry about Louis you haven’t really shown any sort of reaction, well when you were drunk you sobbed in a corner and then crawled besides Louis’ bed saying if this is the closest you’ll ever get to sleeping with him then you’ll take it.” Niall stated matter-of-factly. Harry winced.

“Oh god,”

“It wasn’t that bad Louis thought it was cute,” Niall recalled. Harry nearly inhaled a fly that was innocently flying past him.

“He what?” He thought it was cute? He thought Drunk Harry sobbing about how he can’t sleep with his best friend was  _cute_? What the hell was wrong with this kid?

“He was giggling and trying to say you were adorable, it came out as adoiyjrblefaus but the meaning was there,” Niall said Harry turned the colour of freshly strewed strawberries. “Haz you haven’t reacted to the engagement yet,”

“Yes I did!” Harry protested. “I was pleased for him and got plastered in his honour,”

“That was my reaction you idiot and no we cannot share reactions that’s not how life works,” Niall paused to think for a few more seconds, he was not a good multi-tasker. “You’re doing that thing again aren’t you?”

“What thing?” Harry asked genuinely curious. He had no idea where this was going.

“Do you remember when your parents split up?”

“What kind of a question is that? Of course I bloody remember my parents’ divorce; it’s not the sort of thing you forget overnight.” Harry said heatedly. He had no idea why he was suddenly angry; he thought he was over this. It happened when he was fifteen; he had to see a therapist who was very good-looking (not as good-looking as Louis was obviously) and Harry spent the entire time ogling him

“Then you’ll remember what you did,” Niall said calmly. “You pretended they weren’t spilt up you came to school and told us that they were together until Louis went round your house three months after the divorce to find your dad wasn’t living there any more.” Harry vaguely remembered that he also remembered how awkward it was when his mum had to explain to Louis what happened because Harry couldn’t do it.

“Niall that was years ago I was only a kid,” Harry didn’t like this talk. It got him angrier than the usual talk.

“You still are a kid Harry,”

“We’re the same age!” Harry protested but Niall talked right over the top of him

“And you are so doing that thing again, you think Lou’s joking don’t you? You think he just wanted a reason to throw a party,” Niall said. Harry shrugged, yeah maybe he thought that what of it? Niall grabbed Harry’s shoulders and looked into his eyes and probably into his soul (ahem… er no homo of course) “Haz, Louis is engaged to Eleanor and they are going to get married,” Niall said seriously. It was there when it hit him, right in the middle of the pavement, Louis is getting married to someone who isn’t Harry. His legs gave way and he collapsed onto Niall who caught him and saved him from falling face first on the concrete.

“Let’s go home Haz,” Niall said soothingly. Harry lent on Niall and slowly nodded.

* * *

 

Niall had rung Liam and Zayn who raced down to Niall and Zayn’s flat with booze and sad movies. They had a system for Harry’s breakdowns but the system broke for this one, Louis was about to be taken off the market permanently and they had no idea how Harry was going to cope with this. They both met outside the flat and Zayn let them in, as they looked across the living room, they saw Niall trying to comfort Harry. He was curled up in a ball and he had tear-stained cheeks, Harry was catatonic he had reached the height of his depression and it was horrible to look at. Liam squatted down.

“Hey Harry,” Liam whispered softly “we brought movies and we brought alcohol, Do you want to watch a movie?” Harry gave a small nod “Do you want help getting up?” Liam offered his hand, Harry took it and pulled himself up. Liam directed him over to the sofa.

“What do you want to watch Harry?” Zayn asked, “We have Titanic, The Notebook-“

“Pretty in Pink,” Harry mumbled.

“You sure?” Zayn asked Harry nodded and wiped his nose on his sleeve. They had all seen this movie enough times to be able to recite it in their sleep but whatever Harry wanted Harry got, never deny a heartbroken person anything particularly if that heartbroken person was this close to a monumental breakdown on your couch… which you will probably have to clean up after. Zayn put the movie on while Liam sat Harry down and Niall passed the drinks around.

They sat in silence for most of the movie until it got to that point where it was clear that Duckie wasn’t going to end up with Andy. It was here that Harry started bawling his eyes out, Zayn rubbed Harry’s back in a half-hearted attempt at calming him down.

“There there, it’ll be alright,” Zayn said

“No it won’t, he’ll be bloody married and I’ll die alone with 20 cats,” Harry said pitifully. He looked at Zayn with big eyes, “Can’t you stop him or something?”

“What do you want us to do Harry?” Liam said “We can’t tell him not to get married Haz the boy is in love”

“ _I’m_  in love,” Harry said

“Then why don’t you tell him?” Liam asked. Harry stopped and seriously thought about it.

“Because… because he’d rather end up with Blane and not Duckie,” Harry finally decided.

“How in the hell did you figure that out?” Niall said confused.

“Well I’m Duckie aren’t I? I mean I’ve been in love with Louis for ages and then Eleanor comes in a sweeps Louis off his feet and I can do nothing about it cause he’d rather be with some posh pretty girl than… well me.” Harry explained

“That is the stupidest logic I’ve ever heard.” Niall declared.

“Do you want to know why I think Louis prefers the posh pretty girl and not you?” Liam said. Harry nodded. “It’s because not once have you ever made yourself an option for him,” Harry looked confused so Liam continued “Not once have you ever told him that you liked him have you? You hadn’t even told him that you were gay I mean how can you expect him to look at you and go ‘I’d like to fuck him into the mattress,’ when he didn’t know you were gay?”

“What should I do?” Harry asked Liam, he was now considering Liam as his top advisor. Having Niall as his was obviously a bad decision because his only advice was ‘shut up and get

pissed’.

“I dunno maybe tell him for a start instead of sobbing into your pillow and wanking.” Liam said and sniggered at his own joke.

“Do you seriously do that?” Zayn asked.

“You’re right,” Harry said over the top of him.

“I am?” Liam asked bewildered. Harry stood up.

“I’m going to do it, I’m going to tell him,” Harry said on a rush of adrenaline, excitement and a little bit of liquor (ok a lot of liquor). “Thanks guys,” he said as he ran out the door. Niall and Zayn stared at Liam in amazement.

“How the fuck did you do that? We’ve been trying to get him to do that for four fucking

years! How did you do it?” Niall shouted with delight

“And why didn’t you do it sooner?” Zayn added. Niall nodded in agreement.

“I don’t know, I guess after listening to you two I’m practically a genius,” Liam said just as amazed as they were.

* * *

 

“Louis!” Harry shouted as he slammed the door to their flat “Louis!”

“What?” Louis yelled back from the living room. Harry raced into the room

“I need to tell you-“

“Hi Harry,” Eleanor was there with Danielle … well fuck that idea then

“Hey Elle, hi Dan,” Harry said hopefully covering his sudden loss of momentum. Louis looked at him with those big concerned gorgeous eyes of his god damn him, Harry nearly melted into a puddle right there and then.

“What is it Haz?” Louis asked. Harry wanted to say could you direct me to the nearest cliff I could throw myself off because that would be less painful then looking at you right now.

“Oh never mind, I’ll tell you later,” Or never which seemed far more likely.

“Oh ok,” Louis said looking a little disappointed Harry thought but that could be the booze talking.

“So we were thinking about having a wedding planner because I don’t want to organise this and I’m sure Louis doesn’t either,” Eleanor suggested. This was when Harry started to fade out of the conversation, so he quietly retreated to his room and started catching up on his coursework. He was so glad he studied Music theory because his assignment was on a piece that had to be listened through speakers (his professor had a thing about headphones). He turned it up as loud as it could go and started to type.

* * *

 

One rough draft later Louis walked into Harry’s room and sat on his bed. Harry could hear Eleanor and Danielle giggling their way out of the flat.

“So what were you going to tell me?” Louis asked. Oh god not the eyes again, avoid the question at all costs.

“Erm I was going to ask how your job interview went,” Harry lied. Fate obviously did not want him to admit anything that day and you can’t argue with fate.

“You were not but I let you have this one.” Louis said, Harry silently breathed a sigh of relief.

“It went fantastic actually they really liked me I think, they said they needed a breath of fresh air on their staff and they liked my outlook,”

“So you’re getting the job?”

“Probably, everyone else there looked about 50,” Louis said he was quite pleased with himself.

“Does this mean I can stop paying your half of the rent?” Harry said. Louis gaped at him in a mock offence. “I know I know Louis you do have an addiction to alcohol and prostitutes and they don’t pay for themselves.”

“I am not an alcoholic!” Louis said indignantly

“So you don’t deny the prostitutes?” Harry raised an eyebrow at him Louis rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know why I even bother talking to you,” Louis huffed. “But you are still avoiding the question which I won’t allow you to do because you did barge into the flat so dramatically that I thought I was looking at a mirror for a second there.” Louis looked almost proud at the thought. Well shit… Harry is going to have to say it and then Louis would hate him forever and it will all go arse over tit. Harry took a big breath.

“Louis I… well I’ve been hiding this for so long it’s hard for me to actually say it out loud but erm… here goes… Louis I” He was interrupted/saved by a bang at the door. “I’ll get it,” He said and ran out the room. Louis watched him puzzled. Niall and Zayn were at the door and they both looked like a puppy going on its first walk, a mad rush of questions instantly bombarded Harry.

“Did you tell him?”

“Does he love you back?”

“How come you listened to Liam and not us?”

“Liam has class he was kicking himself that he had to miss out,” There was a pause as Harry stared at them baffled.

“Oh no, it didn’t go well did it?”

“Has he kicked you out?”

“That’s it Harry you’re moving in with us, get your stuff you’re leaving,” Niall was about to storm in to punch Louis on the nose for daring to reject Harry. Harry had to physically restrain him.

“No Harry you let go of Niall you’ll thank us later,” Zayn practically shouted, Harry rolled his eyes.

“No I won’t because I didn’t tell him,” Harry whispered Niall and Zayn looked at him dumbfounded.

“Hi guys what are you doing here?” Louis said walking out of Harry’s room completely oblivious to the chaos that was all his fault (for being attractive apparently) and Harry wished he would always be.

“Er Zayn thought he left his phone here, have you seen it?” Niall improvised. Louis looked curiously at him.

“No… is it in your pocket?” Louis said looking at the outline of Zayn’s phone in his pocket. Damn Zayn’s stylishly frayed designer skinny jeans.

“Oh yeah so it is thanks Lou I’d lose my head without you,” Zayn said far too quickly for it to be believable.

“What’s going on?” Louis said attempting to intimidate them and crossing his arms. Louis doesn’t really do intimidating very well he looked more like a toddler than threatening.

“Best men stuff,” Harry said. “ _Secret_ best men stuff,” Louis eyes suddenly sparkled with excitement. God damn him for still being mentally 8 years old.

“Are you lot planning my bucks night?” He said… at least Harry thought he said it was hard to tell with how fast Louis was talking.

“It’s a secret Louis,” Harry said and tapped his nose knowingly, Louis nodded.

“Ok best men I will leave and go… get milk we’ve run out,” Louis grabbed his coat and left a little too quickly. They watched him go and the second he left Harry dragged the two boys inside and slammed the door.

“What do you mean you didn’t tell him?” Niall asked, “You looked so pumped when you left we thought we finally did it,”

“Eleanor and Danielle were here,” Harry said meekly, both boys groaned.

“Fuck her just fuck them both,” Zayn exasperated.

“Why? We worked so hard for this,” Niall cried and they both collapsed on the couch. Harry rolled his eyes; honestly you’d have thought that they were the ones that had the hidden love thing not Harry.

“And to think I was about to tell him just then but then you saved me by banging on the door,” Harry said. Zayn suddenly thumped Niall.

“You idiot! I told you we should’ve waited longer,” Zayn shouted

“You did not you filthy liar! You said that we should give them a second before knocking because they’d probably be eating each other’s faces off,” Niall yelled back at him.

“Charming,” Harry muttered.

“You have no idea Harry, the smut that comes out of that boy’s mouth when it comes to you and Lou,” Niall said. Zayn opened his mouth to protest.

“Good and I don’t want to know” Harry interrupted “Do we actually have to plan his buck’s night?” Harry smoothly changed topic.

“Well of course we are best men, although I don’t know if he can have four best men,” Zayn said

“See if it were Lou and Harry they could have one man each and I could be Maid of Honour,” Niall fantasied

“Have you planned our wedding?” Harry asked

“Why don’t you plan our wedding instead of Harry’s pretend one?”

“You know perfectly well that you told me you wouldn’t marry me til it was legal and of course I have Haz what do you think I do with my free time? Homework?” Niall snorted at his own joke, no one joined him.

“That is just weird Niall,” Harry said completely freaked out at the potential stalker that was sitting in front of him.

“Yeah well maybe I regret saying that,” Zayn said crossly

“It’s too late to start saying that now darlin’ I’ve moved on from the dream of our wedding and I’m living vicariously through Harry’s,”

“You do know Niall that you’re talking about an imaginary wedding? We’re not engaged, or even dating we’re not even fuck buddies,” Harry said. He heard shuffling coming from the doorway and looked at it curiously.

“Ah but you will be and that’s why we’re preparing early, organisation is the key,” Niall explained far too enthusiastic for Harry’s liking. Harry saw Louis hiding behind the fern (their only attempt at vegetation and even then it was plastic).

“Louis, come out from there,” Harry said almost embarrassed at Louis’ bad attempt hiding.

“I didn’t hear anything all I heard was something about fuck buddies and organisation is the key,” Louis said hurriedly. He was panting, Harry knew that Louis had probably ran to the deli bought the milk and ran home to catch them talking about the buck’s night, he was such a child. This was further evidence for Harry’s case of why Louis should not be married.

“Good,” Harry said.

“If you don’t mind me asking Haz, what was that whole fuck buddy thing about?” Louis asked fishing for information.

“I don’t have a fuck buddy Louis,” Harry said, Louis looked disappointed. “We were talking about Zayn and the stripper.” They all raised their eyebrows at that one, hell it even surprised Harry, well everyone except Louis who suddenly went all big-eyed.

“Excuse me?” Zayn said unimpressed, Niall looked about ready to kill this stripper even though the poor girl was fictional. Harry assured them both that the stripper wasn’t going to fuck Zayn and it was the first excuse he could think of through a mime that Le Coq would have been proud of had Harry ever attended.

“You’re getting me a stripper?” Louis exclaimed in either excitement or shock Harry couldn’t tell, he couldn’t read Louis’ face as it was hiding behind the fridge door putting the milk away.

“Only the best for the wedding boy!” Niall cheered, Louis grinned at him “Now do you want to decide the stripper or do you want us to do it because I’m telling you if you let us do it you’ll end up with a bloke.”

“Or Harry jumping out of a cake,” Zayn added. “Or any of us jumping out of a cake we like to keep you on your toes.”

“I don’t even know if I want a stripper or not,” Louis confessed Zayn was downright flabbergasted at Louis; Zayn was never one to willingly give up a night of clubbing.

“Louis! This will be your last night of freedom don’t you dare tell me you want to spend it staying home watching movies,” Zayn said.

“Well I…” Louis said sheepishly, Zayn gasped at him.

“I am not talking to you Louis as of now,” He folded his arms and turned his head away.

“I have to agree with Zany,” Niall said, “That idea is fucking boring for a buck’s night,”

“Harry,” Louis whined, “My best men are all betraying me,” Louis turned and gave Harry the dreaded puppy dog eyes. Harry had to force himself to not look at Louis for fear of falling under his hypnotic spell.

“Well maybe we could do Louis’ idea tonight and then we plan his buck’s night so we all end up happy as Larry,” Harry suggested. That idea seemed to please them.

“You’re a genius Harry,” Niall cheered.

“Zayn ring Liam, tell him we’re doing a movie night,” Louis said excited. He ran into his room to search his movie collection.

“Also tell him to bring popcorn and booze we’re going to need it if Louis ends up picking what I think he’s going to pick,” Harry said Zayn nodded as he put the phone to his ear.

“You don’t mean,” Niall started.

“Yep,” Harry said apologetic. Niall groaned

“Tell me again how he’s marrying a woman,”

“You’re asking the wrong person,” Harry joked, Niall grinned but it soon faded when Louis came back into the room wearing a leather jacket and had far too much gel in his hair.

“Guess what we’re watching?” His smile could have been used as a guiding light for ships lost at sea it was so bright.

“No,” Niall grumbled but it was ignored as Louis had already started singing the first verse of Grease Lightning.

* * *

 

It was the month of the wedding, Eleanor had picked a spring wedding and the wedding planner organised the rest. Harry had listened to Liam’s advice and tried to tell Louis on multiple occasions but if Eleanor and Danielle weren’t constantly interrupting him it was the wedding planner. The boys tried to keep Harry busy by putting him as head best man but organising your crushes wedding isn’t as fun as it sounds. His latest job as head best man was to help Louis pick out a suit. The wedding planner had told him that it “simply had to be a black suit and if I see a colour that isn’t black I will kick you out of this wedding so fast you won’t believe it”. So Harry was dragging Louis round a list of “recommended stores” (Harry knew it actually meant “buy here or they will never find the body”). Harry was getting increasingly frustrated, apparently they haven’t found “the right suit” yet according to Louis who had suddenly developed a fashion sense. They were at the last store on the list.

“Louis you are going to have to find a suit here or I will be murdered by the psychopath known as your wedding planner,” Harry said. Louis rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Jill is a lovely woman,”

“Jill?  _Jill_?” Harry said “Beasts like her aren’t called Jill, are you sure she didn’t say Voldemort and you misheard her?”

“Come on Haz we have suits to look at,” Louis grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him into the store. It was a quaint store, it wasn’t like the others that had arrogant men with waxed moustaches running the store who didn’t even acknowledge their existence. Instead they had a charming elderly seamstress who had made every tuxedo in that shop and had glasses that were bigger than her head.

“Are you two looking something in particular?” The old woman asked.

“I’m getting married and we’re looking for a suit,” Louis said. He shouldn’t have bothered, she ignored him completely and jumped to her own conclusions.

“Ah I see, we have two grooms here which is fine, you know I had a darling lesbian couple come in here last week they took one of my white suits and asked me to make a dress, I’ve never made a dress in my life but they wouldn’t listen,” She rambled on. Eventually Louis interrupted her

“Erm no  _we’re_  not getting married,”

“Oh right yes what are they called ‘civil partnerships’ load of old nonsense if you ask me. Now what kind of suits are you two looking for?” She asked pleasantly

“Just go along with her Lou,” Harry whispered, Louis nodded wearily. “Show us your finest black suits if you don’t mind madam,” He amped up the charm, the woman giggled.

“Follow me dearies,” She lead them to a rack in the corner of the shop. She surveyed the rack, considering her creations, she glanced back at the two boys and then after a few minutes pulled out two suits “This one for you Mr…” she presented the suit to Harry

“Styles, Harry Styles” He smiled at her and took the suit and went to the changing room, well actually it seemed the elderly seamstress had a passion for vintage because instead of a changing room she had a partition.

“And for you,” Harry heard her say. Louis walked over to the partition and gaped at it.

”Does this mean we have to get changed together?” Louis asked almost scandalised, Harry rolled his eyes.

“Get over yourself Tomlinson, nothing I haven’t seen before,” This could possibly be a fantastic day for Harry Styles, seeing Louis half-naked and then being allowed to drool all over him in a suit. He hadn’t been this giddy since Louis had declared he was pansexual in year 8, although it was followed by months of depression because even though Louis likes boys he still didn’t like Harry, but nevertheless Harry’s chances were increased dramatically.

“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Louis said as he walked behind the partition and lifted his top over his head.

“What exactly are you implying?” Harry asked trying to keep himself contained. Think of dying kittens and The Queen naked.

“I’m implying nothing but try to keep your hands to yourself Styles,” Louis grinned and winked at him. Harry was confused, was he flirting with him? Harry’s never been flirted with before well only by that girl in year eight but he didn’t think, “Stacy reckons you look alright” counted. Somehow, Harry managed to pull his eyes away from Louis’ torso and put the suit on. He went out from behind the partition.

“Well what do you think?” Harry said to anyone who was listening. The old woman looked him over.

“You look dashing dearie,” She exclaimed “Don’t you think so Mr…”

“Tomlinson,” Harry whispered to her

“Mr. Tomlinson?”

“He looks handsome but then he always looks handsome to me,” Louis agreed from behind the partition. Harry looked at him curiously, what on earth is he doing? Louis came out from the partition and presented himself. Harry thought it was only a figure of speech but he was actually drooling, he really looked like a groom and he was mind-blowingly hot. “Harry you can close your mouth now,” Louis laughed at Harry suddenly going red.

“You look fantastic Lou,” Harry said.

“I look fantastic? Look at you, I’m a lucky man,” Louis said modestly. Was Harry dreaming? He must be there was no other explanation that Harry could think of. “I think we’ll take them,”

“Wonderful! Now just take them off and I’ll be at the counter,” She said and sauntered over to the till. Harry grabbed Louis by the arm and pulled him close.

“What are you playing at?” He whispered into his ear.

“You said play along so that’s what I’m doing  _sweetheart_ ,” He smiled at him. Harry nearly

melted he really couldn’t cope with today.

“Actors,” Harry scoffed and rolled his eyes hopefully covering his lust (“NAKED QUEEN” his mind kept screaming at him). The mental pictures he has taken today were nearly as good as the ones from the fountain incident. While Harry was drooling with lust Louis had changed out of his suit and walked over to the till.

“So when’s the wedding?” The shopkeeper asked.

“In two weeks,” Louis gushed

“Excited?”

“For the wedding? Kind of, if I’m being honest its more the wedding night I’m looking forward to,” Louis smirked. The shopkeeper laughed.

“You should be, why if I was getting married to a man like that the things we would get up to,” She shivered just thinking about it, “You have got a keeper Mr Tomlinson.”

“Yeah I do,”

“No I am serious Mr Tomlinson a man like that is hard to find, my husband was like him bright-eyed and handsome,” She reminisced.

“Was?”

“He died but it was years ago. You know he was just so adorable he fancied me for years he worshipped the very ground I walked on for years and I just had no idea. He was so shy that he never told me. I was in this production of Romeo and Juliet and I played Juliet and I asked him to help me rehearse and it got up to the kissing bit and I kissed him. It must’ve sparked something because he went on this speech about how much he loved me and well we quickly went back to rehearsing that scene if you catch my drift. I guess you know you just have to pay attention to the details you know? I didn’t and that was my biggest regret. Oh I’m ranting aren’t I?” She suddenly pulled herself back into reality, as did Louis.

“No no it’s fine honestly I feel like I’ve learnt something,”

“Oh you are too kind,”

“Hi sweetie,” Harry had finished getting changed and in a particularly gutsy move decided to sneak up on Louis and peck him on the cheek. Louis didn’t react much his only reaction was the look his look he gives when he has been outdone the look that signals that he is about to make an unpredictable move. Usually this would strike fear into Harry’s heart but this was very much something Harry wanted. Louis so not wanting to be outdone turned around and kissed Harry on the mouth. It only lasted a few seconds but they were the best seconds of Harry’s life. It was a hard kiss filled with a competitive edge and not exactly romantic at all, it was something akin to kissing a fierce watermelon. However it wasn’t about the emotion behind the kiss, Harry thought it was more about the feel of Louis Tomlinson’s lips on his and the fact that he was kissed by Louis Tomlinson and Louis Tomlinson wanted to kiss him and THAT LOUIS TOMLISON JUST KISSED HIM AND HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE FROM HAPPINESS.

“Hi babe,” Louis said huskily looking deep into Harry’s eyesH. Oh god that killed him he wanted that phrase in that tone said by that man written on his tombstone.

“Shall we talk details?” The shopkeeper said after a pause Harry didn’t think he could talk details after the greatest moment of his life. Luckily Louis could. They talked about how many suits were needed and sizing etcetera all the boring stuff. Eventually they sorted everything and Louis dragged the dazed Harry out of the shop.

“Well that was fun,” Louis said as an afterthought as they were waiting for the bus back home.

“You have no Idea,” Harry muttered to himself.

“What?”

“I said that was the stupidest thing we’ve done in years.” Harry said.

“Oh come on being engaged to me can’t be that bad,” Louis said offended

“I dunno you mocked me for most of our engagement,’ Harry said

“What do you mean? I was flirting with you!” Louis said.  _That_  was flirting? Jesus Harry hadn’t missed out on much

“I wouldn’t call that flirting,”

“I said you were a sex deviant,”

“Oh you did not,”

“I implied it so there,” Louis stuck his tongue out at him. Harry rolled his eyes although secretly…. HE CALLED HIM A SEX DEVIANT!!! A SEX DEVIANT! Oh god he was hyperventilating. “You okay Harry?”

“Fine!” Harry replied quickly. They didn’t speak much on the ride home, Harry was too busy focusing on not passing out to talk. This was a good day Harry decided not a good day for his lungs as he had forgotten to breathe for most of it but it was still a pretty good day.

* * *

 

Harry would like to tell you about Louis’ buck’s night he really would but he can’t remember a thing from it. He remembers getting in the cab and he vaguely remembers Liam having enough for one night and leaving. He has thankfully forgotten the stripper and what she did to Louis and he has somehow forgotten what they did to be in this prison cell overnight. He remembers waking up cuddling Zayn because they had run out of blankets and seeing Niall on the other side of the cell giving him a very evil death glare. He remembers Eleanor and Danielle coming to collect Louis and telling the rest of them that Liam was coming to collect them later. So now they were waiting for Liam who had clearly forgotten about them because he was taking his sweet time getting here.

“He’s forgotten about us hasn’t he?” Harry said breaking the silence.

“He hasn’t, he has a morning class today we picked the wrong day to fuck up,” Niall said.

“What did we do?” Zayn asked from the bed. He was lying down and staring at the ceiling.

“We’ve been over this Zayn none of us remember anything past the stripper Harry doesn’t even remember the stripper. We’ll get nothing out of Liam because even if he did know he wouldn’t tell us because he’s too nice,” Niall said. They waited for what felt like a lifetime when finally a police officer came to the cell and said that they were free to go. They left the cell to see in the waiting room Liam looking ashamed and disappointed. Liam had a strange ability to simply look at you in the wrong way, you felt the sudden urge to look down in shame, and your tummy turned into a dark pit of hell. It was a long walk back to Harry’s flat that was filled with silence, not a word was spoken until they entered the flat and saw Louis sitting on the couch looking mortified.

“Sorry Liam,” Louis mumbled.

“Sorry doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Liam replied. “You have no idea what I had to go through today. I read the newspaper to see you lot on the front cover. Then I get a call from Danielle who said  _the police_  rang and Elle and her were just about to get Lou. I had to call all of your mums who were panicking because they saw you on the  _news_. This is even worse than the fountain incident and I reckon none of you know what you did,” They all shook their heads. “Well I’m not going to tell you, you can find out for yourselves. Oh and Niall your mum wants you to call her which I advise you to do she was in a right state. In fact the lot of you call your mothers and let them know you’re fine and they can tell you how much shame you have brought to the family,”

Eventually they found out what they did and couldn’t go out in public for days, it would be forever known as the Hot dog incident and they would never speak of it again.

* * *

 

Apparently, according to the wedding planner, rehearsal dinners are a thing now. Harry didn’t know this and he was shocked that he needed to practise eating because he thought he was doing an alright job so far. Rehearsal dinners are supposedly a mock reception where they do everything they would do at a reception but before a few nights before the wedding instead of after; from what Harry has heard its basically a way for the wedding planner to make more money. The wedding party had to come early an hour or so before the other guest were due to arrive. So basically, they spent ten minutes being shouted at by the wedding planner and then they grabbed a few bottle of champagne and found a good hiding place. They all sat in a circle and passed a bottle of bubbly around.

“So what did you do on your hen’s night?” Niall asked Eleanor.

“Nothing much,” Eleanor replied avoiding the question.

“Aw come on Elle you know what we did on Lou’s,” Niall begged.

“Not by choice!” She protested, Danielle giggled. Danielle was always giggling at Eleanor even when no one else thought it was funny. Those two girls were inseparable, sometimes Harry wondered if Danielle somehow managed to sneak along on Louis and Eleanor’s dates.

“Please?” Niall looked at her with his big blue eyes.

“I’m being serious it wasn’t anything much it was me and Dee having a girls night,” Eleanor said.

“And what exactly is a girls night?” Zayn asked.

“Err well erm…” Eleanor stuttered.

“Girly things that boys like you wouldn’t know or care about,” Danielle interrupted. Eleanor laughed at some inside joke that Harry didn’t know about.

“Oh whatever,” Niall huffed and crossed his arms.

“Aw Niall, is diddums having a sulk?” Danielle laughed, wrapped her arm round his neck and swiftly gave him a noogie. They both soon collapsed in a fit of giggles, Eleanor rolled her eyes at her pathetic bridesmaid.

“You two stop being so… so childish, we haven’t even started the dinner and already you have made a tit of yourself,” Eleanor scolded.

“Jealous babe?” Louis asked and threw himself at Eleanor who giggled and rolled her eyes. Harry was fortunate enough to have to bottle passed to him at that moment.

“Well we manly men are going to leave you four love birds alone,” Zayn huffed and started to stand up.

“No! Don’t leave me with her Zayn, please Zayn show some mercy,” Niall pleaded. At this point Danielle laughed at how tragic he was and noticed that he was stretching his arms and his nipples were defenceless, she went in for the kill. Niall screamed “Zayn! Save me!”

“Don’t stand up you’ll give away our position,” Liam said and pulled Zayn to the ground quite suddenly.

“Oh Niall I never took you as the type to beg,” Harry teased.

“Well you’ve obviously never had sex with him,” Zayn laughed at his own joke.

“Oh please, I have never heard begging like you drunk and horny at three in the morning.” Niall said as the bottle was passed to him. He delved into his impersonation of Zayn “Aw please Niall only a quick one can’t you just give me a-“

"Shut up Niall!" Danielle shouted over the top of him "Some of us have to eat tonight and the mental images you are giving us are not helping," Niall smirked and Danielle thumped him.

“Ow!” Niall rubbed the damaged area and quickly thought of a comeback “Well you’re just jealous cause you’re permanently single,” Just as Niall said that, the beast known as the wedding planner turned up and yelled at them that the first guest had arrived.

“Show time!” Louis said and did a fabulous display of jazz hands.

“How is he with a woman Harry? How?” Niall whispered in Harry’s ear

“Maybe Elle’s secretly a man?” Harry whispered back Niall laughed and nodded.

“Must be,”

The dinner was fantastic, Harry saw absolutely everyone that he and Louis knew except Louis’ so called arch-enemy from the fountain incident. The best men and maid of honour ate together and took the piss out of everyone there while the bride and groom socialised, a fun night had by all Harry decided. The wedding party and the parents of the bride and groom were sitting on a big table in front of everyone. Eleanor’s father said a few emotional words and made quite a few people cried. After the tears were dried Louis stood up.

“And now a speech from one of my very best men,” He announced. Huh, Harry didn’t know the others had planned a speech, he looked at them and they stared back. He turned to Louis who gestured for him to stand up… oh no  _Harry_  was the one saying the speech. Well fuck a duck… he stood up.

“Erm Hello… I’m Harry and erm Louis has been my best friend for about twelve,”

“Thirteen,” Louis interrupted. Harry rolled his eyes why must Louis be so… so… _him._  And why must Harry love him? He’s a goofy prat who makes a big display of almost everything he’s ever done and not only that but he’s getting married in three days. And yet there was something about him that Harry adored. He had no idea what it was because if he knew he’d be off asking every single man on this planet if they possessed that quality so he could be in love with them instead of his best friend. He thought maybe it was a combination of the little quirks that Louis had such as the way he said Harry or his very daggy dance moves. Harry hoped he wasn’t attracted to Louis’ love of musicals, sometimes he’s tempted to throw Louis down the stairs if he has to watch another performance of ‘Look at me I’m Sandra Dee’, but maybe Louis’ singing made up for the horrible song choice. Harry quickly realised that everyone was staring at him doing his internal monologue of his unconditional love for Louis and was hurriedly pulled back down to earth.

“Thirteen years.”  _And we’ve been through everything together so I know for a fact he’ll be the best husband ever and Eleanor is a lucky woman, Congratulations you two!_ Was what he was going to say he had it in his mind he was going to say it the words were about to come out of his mouth… except they didn’t, what fell out of his mouth instead was “And I have a confession to make.” He saw Niall and Zayn nearly wet themselves out of the corner of his eye.

Shit… Fuck fuckity fucking fuck, why the fuck would he say that? That’s it then he’s going to impale himself now that knife looks sharp… Oh well he’s started he may as well finish, so with an unexpected courage he continued.

“For thirteen years I have been madly in love with Louis Tomlinson, who is a total idiot and probably doesn’t deserve it.” He blushed with embarrassment but he carried on anyway “I don’t even know why I’m confessing this everyone already knows but I don’t think you do Lou, at least I hope you don’t otherwise I’m making a bigger tit of myself then I already have. And I really don’t know why I’m confessing this at your pre-wedding dinner or whatever the hell it’s called but yeah I love you and you are getting married which is great honestly Eleanor’s a great girl and how you ever managed to pull her is beyond me…. I’m starting to think I really should have prepared something… so yeah I don’t think that this is how a best man speech is supposed to go and I’ve probably ruined everyone’s night. Erm I think I’ll er go now you know but it’s be fun and I hope the wedding goes well and you two live happily ever after… no I don’t that’s a lie I hope Louis ends up happy and if you break him Elle I’m coming after you but look I’m really really sorry and yeah to Lou and Elle.” He raised his glass, drank the contents and headed for the nearest exit not even daring to look at Louis.

This was the bravest Harry’s ever been and Harry guessed that he’d never be this brave again considering he just blabbed his biggest secret when he was supposed to be practising his best man speech.

* * *

 

He was walking home shell-shocked that he had managed to finally tell him, timing was a little off but he had told him. It felt weird, it felt like a humongous bolder had been lifted out of the pit of his bowels and fuck thats a thing thats called kidney stones.. he had  _not_  passed a fucking kidney stone, that metaphor went horribly wrong. He felt free….This won’t last long Louis will break his heart and then he’ll get depressed and he’ll have to become a nun, but it was nice while it lasted.

“Oi Harry!” Oh god it was them, he braced himself for a telling-off of a lifetime but instead he got a giant hug.

“I am so fucking proud of you! Where the fuck did that come from?” Niall cheered. Liam and Zayn were behind him looking like all their Christmases had come at once.

“God I swear you lot are more invested in my love life than I ever will be,” Harry mocked, Liam nodded the most serious Harry’s ever seen him.

“No but seriously how, who, what, where, when and why?” Zayn asked.

“I don’t know, I didn’t prepare a speech cause I thought you guys were doing it and when I stood up it just spilled out of me,” Harry attempted to explain.

“We need to make sure you’re unprepared all the time now if things like that happen,” Niall

said. He looked at Liam “You’re quiet for the greatest moment of our lives,”

“I’m taking it all in Niall I’ve been waiting for this moment for ten years.” Liam said. Harry rolled his eyes.

“All of you are just as bad as Louis on his birthday,”

“There is no need to go that far,” Liam protested. “So where are you going?”

“Home,” Harry said as if it was obvious. They all looked horrified.

“You can’t go home,” Niall nearly shouted appalled at the idea. Harry looked confused not sure what Niall was getting at.

“Louis is there, he was at the receiving end of thirteen years of repressed emotion you have to give him a while to process the information.” Liam said. “Besides you kind of gave probably the most shocking best man speech I’ve ever heard I mean you said you didn’t want them to have a happy marriage.”

“Come stay with me and Niall for a while, give Louis some time alright?” Zayn offered.

“But what about my toothbrush?” Harry asked

“We’ll get it later come on,” Niall rolled his eyes, grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him back to their place. Harry had a strong feeling that this was going to be a long few days.

* * *

 

It wasn’t so bad living with the two boys although they both had their bad sides. They were both slobs not as messy as Harry was but there was no Louis here to tidy up and tut at them when they made a mess. The bathroom always stunk of hairspray while the living room was either filled with smoke or reeked of cigarettes, Harry assumed it was Zayn’s fault that their entire flat could kill an asthmatic. That wasn’t even their worse habit, they never cooked  _never_  Zayn couldn’t be bothered and Niall was afraid of their oven. So when Harry was asked to live with them he was understandably nervous and having both Niall and Zayn excited off their tits and a little drunk (they had pinched a bottle or two from the dinner… each) was no help was no help whatsoever. But even though they stole his key to his flat and when Harry was asleep they sneaked into his flat, stole his toothbrush and scared the shit out of Louis, Harry settled into their life fairly quickly which scared the shit out of him considering how insane they were.

“Zayn where’s the coffee?” Niall whined as he stumbled out of the bedroom at one in the afternoon, Zayn always said that boy could sleep through an apocalypse.

“You don’t drink coffee,” Zayn said sensibly, Zayn had gotten up two hours earlier and had gotten over the worst of his hangover. He was eating a pastry from out of the pantry; Harry was standing next to him waiting for the kettle to boil.

“I do now,” Niall said. Zayn rolled his eyes.

“You’ll regret it,” Zayn warned, Niall was not in the mood to care. Zayn gave up his coffee and passed the mug to Niall. He grabbed the cup and took far too big a swig, the two boys stared at the zombie before them. Harry winced as Niall spluttered and raced to the sink he turned on the tap and rinsed his mouth out with water.

“Don’t feel sorry for him he does this every time,” Zayn huffed.

“Every time?” Harry asked disbelievingly. Zayn nodded “Tea?”

“Nah I can handle my coffee,” Zayn laughed and pried his cup out of Niall’s grasp.

“Fuck off,” Niall said through the water.

“Well Niall sweetie we have to get going to get Harry’s stuff, so go get dressed and somewhat decent so Louis doesn’t get the shock of life… again,” Zayn said and patted Niall on the back. Niall nodded absent-mindedly and walked back into the bedroom. “Bathroom Niall,”

“I’ve never seen him like this,” Harry said amazed

“You’ve never lived with him; you learn how to deal with him when he’s in this mood,” Zayn said “Right so we’re going to your place to grab some of your stuff anything in particular you want?”

“My toothbrush?”

“Is that toothbrush sacred or something? Anyway it’s in the bathroom we nicked it last night,” Zayn said.

“You what?”

“Oh we stole your key and went to your flat; Louis was there we scared him shitless. We may have worn balaclavas.” Zayn laughed.

“What was he doing?” Harry asked

“Just lying there on his bed he leaped off it and was about to attack us before he realised it was us. We told him that you were staying with us for a while until he’s dealt with shit and he nodded he didn’t even say anything, I think you really surprised him,” Zayn said.

“How?”

“I know I swear that bastard is fucking blind.” Zayn agreed. Niall walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a loosely draped towel “For gods sake Niall put your towel on properly Harry isn’t used to seeing that,” Niall dropped his towel rebelliously, stuck out his tongue and strutted to the bedroom.

“My eyes! My eyes it burns!” Harry cried in disgust.

“You love it!” Niall shouted.

“How about you stop offending poor Harry’s eyeballs and get ready?” Zayn shouted. There was a pause as Niall struggled to think of a comeback.

“You’re not my mother!” Was his feeble attempt.

“Thank god for that,” Zayn muttered.

“Never a dull moment in this household is there,” Harry said.

“We try our best,” Zayn said modestly. Niall walked out of the bedroom fully dressed and fully dishevelled

“We going?” He asked

“Are those clothes even clean?” Zayn smirked

“Are you really my mum now I mean if you want do that sort of thing you only had to ask,  _Daddy_ ” Niall said huskily. Harry dry-heaved and wished his friends could just stop being a couple when Harry was around.

“Don’t even try to make this weirdly sexy Niall, I reckon you’ve been wearing that top for the past two weeks” Zayn said

“Do you want to get out this house or not?” Niall said, he didn’t even wait for a reply he grabbed Zayn’s hand and dragged him out the flat.

“Every fucking morning,” Zayn yelled. Harry laughed. He was relieved that they were gone, he’d been eyeing off their DVD collection since he got here, he picked up Ferris Buhler’s Day Off and made himself comfy on the couch.

* * *

 

Louis was lying on his back on his bed, he’s been there since he got home last night, he was sure he slept at some point during the night. It was hard to say because he did hallucinate that Zayn and Niall broke into his house (at least he hoped it was a hallucination). Louis was in shock, well he claimed it was shock but he remembered thinking while Harry confessed “Well obviously,” he didn’t know why though he didn’t bloody know about the whole hidden love thing. He feels like he should have known that’s probably why he feels like his stomach has gone missing and has been replaced by this dark cloud of nothingness. But maybe it’s there because he’s done something wrong but he was sure that he definitely hasn’t fucked up everything… correction: he hasn’t fucked up everything  _yet_. He still has time to say to Harry that it’s never happening and he’s getting married in two days. No he can’t do that, Haz has been crushing on him since the moment he saw him (who knew eight year old Louis was so irresistible) it’ll break him. Maybe he can lead him on ignoring the problem until Harry brings it up again, which considering how long it took him to tell him won’t be happening til they are both in their thirties. No that’s practically torture. Louis groaned and flopped onto his belly, why must this be so hard. There was a knock at the door, Louis pulled himself up and walked over to the door he begged that it wasn’t Harry.

“Hey Lou,” It wasn’t Harry, it was Liam and Louis was very thankful.

“Oh thank god, I thought you were Harry,” Louis said relieved.

“You avoiding him?” Liam asked closing the door behind him.

“Of course I am,” Louis said with more flair than the situation called for. He sat on the couch, Liam watched him knowing that he should have expected this reaction from Louis.

“Louis,”

“Don’t give me that, you’re supposed to be my side,” Louis whined. Liam rolled his eyes.

“I am and being on your side means I have to save you from your stupid self.” Liam explained. Louis made a noise that expressed his offence.

“Well excuse you but I…” He thought about it for a second “yeah you’re right,” Liam grinned in victory “Oh shut up”

“I didn’t say anything!” Liam said in a fake innocence.

“You didn’t have to, now are you going to tell me what to do or are you going to sit there looking smug?” Louis asked

“I’m not going to tell you what to do,” Liam said. Louis looked a little defeated when he heard this. He needs Liam at this point because Louis will make a complete tit of himself and completely ruin everything if left to his own devices.

“But Liam you’re my saviour you’re my knight in shining armour, I  _need_  you to tell me what to do,” Louis begged, Liam wasn’t falling for it.

“Louis William Tomlinson, you are pathetic,” Liam said as he sat next to Louis.

“Is that a yes?”

“No,”

“Well can you at least give me advice or suggestions or something because I know I’m gonna fuck up if you don’t,” Louis said quietly. Liam softened.

“Fine,” Liam said. Louis’ face suddenly brightened. “But I am not going to tell you what to do because this is a bit more serious than should you shag Stan or Hannah and if I tell you what to do and everything goes pear-shaped you’ll be blaming me for fucking up your life,”

“Oh god Stan and Hannah, didn’t I end up doing both?” Louis reminisced

“Yeah and then you got caught and got in so much shit, and it all could have not happened if you had listened to me,” Liam said

“If I had listened to you?” Louis said astounded “Your advice was “wait for your special someone to come along” and look how well that turned out for you,”

“I did not say “special someone” and I ended up with Danielle didn’t I?” Liam protested

“Who dumped you for Hannah didn’t she?” Louis smirked.

“No it was the black haired girl erm Nikki Grimshaw or something like that,” Liam said in defeat “You know for someone who “needs” me you are being a right cunt,”

“I’m sorry LiLi, it’s not your fault that your special someone turned out to be a friend of Ellen.” Louis grovelled “Look how about I get us tea and you can lecture me on my life choices,”

“The life choice you’re about to make or your past life choices because honestly Lou we are going to need a bigger kettle if you want me to lecture you on those,”  

“Well I have a wedding to be at tomorrow so I’m afraid I can’t attend one of your world-renowned snoozefests, I mean lectures.” Louis said. He went over to the kitchen and filled up the kettle. He glanced back at Liam who was pouting. “Oh LiLi I didn’t mean it your lectures are fascinating really,”

“They better be because you’ll be hearing a really long one once you give me that tea,”

“I’m not giving you tea now,” Louis said. Liam sighed.

“You told me you wanted the lecture,”

“When have I ever said I wanted a lecture?” Louis said in disbelief

“You expressed it.” Liam said after thinking about a reasonable comeback

“What? Through the power of interpretive dance?” Louis snorted at his own joke.

“Body language Louis,” Liam nodded knowingly.

“Oh good lord,” Louis muttered “Ok Liam tell me about your theory of body language,”

“Well for my class I’m reading this book right and the two characters can’t actually talk but they communicate through body language,”

“You mean sign language?”

“No, like actual body movements like shaking your head or hunching your shoulders,”

“What so you’re an expert now?”

“Well no? but I know that if you walk away in a middle of a conversation it means you don’t want to talk but are prepared to listen,” Liam said proud that he managed to remember that much.

“I walked away to make you tea,”

“You didn’t want to talk but you were prepared to listen,” Liam said smugly

“I’m prepared to shove your listen up your big fat talk,” Louis muttered

“I heard that,” Liam said. Louis picked up the kettle and poured the boiling water into the cups.

“You want sugar?”

“Three lumps and milk please,”

“Three?” Louis tutted.

“Shut up I know you have at least 5,”

“Well I like my tea with lemon and lemon is sour I have method in my madness unlike you,”

“Since when was there ever method in your madness?” Liam asked

“Good point,” Louis said. He picked up the mugs and carried them into the living room. He handed a mug to Liam and made himself comfy on the couch. “Alright Liam do your worst,”

“Well ok Lou what do you want to do?”

“About what?”

“Harry,”

“Is that it? The big lecture that I’ve been waiting for.” Louis asked, Liam nodded, “That did not live up to the hype Liam in fact I’m disappointed in you,”

“There is more I just need to know what you want to do,”

“What are you on about?” Louis said highly confused. Liam sighed, he thought he was getting his point across quite clearly.

“Do you want to be with Harry?” He nearly shouted, good god Louis could be annoying.

“What? No!” Louis replied a little too quickly.

“How about you actually think before you answer? It’s only a life-changing decision,” Liam said. Louis rolled his eyes and harrumphed in protest but he complied.

“I don’t know, maybe,” He said truthfully. “But I want to be with Elle you know,”

“So you’d rather marry Elle than Harry?” Liam asked.

“I think so,” He thought about it harder. “Yeah yeah I would,”

“Good to know.” Liam said. Ah fuck now Harry’s going to be completely heartbroken and he’ll have to watch that movie another thousand times. “Right so you’re going to have to talk to Harry,”

“But” Louis objected

“Louis shut up you are going to talk to him,” Liam said sternly. It was then that Niall and Zayn barged into the flat. What the fuck are they doing here? Louis was sceptical that this was just a friendly visit.

“Liam!” Niall exclaimed.

“We didn’t expect you to be here,” Zayn said. The forced casualness in Zayn’s voice confirmed for Louis that they were definitely here to spy on them for Harry. That bastard sending in these two to do his dirty work.

“And we didn’t expect you two to be here,” Liam said just as suspicious as Louis.

“What do you want?” Louis narrowed his eyes at them.

“We are not here to spy on you for Harry,” Zayn said.

“I am offended that you would think we are not that trustworthy,” Niall huffed holding back the fake tears.

“Look at what you have done to my boy, Look at him!” Zayn scolded them as he pulled Niall close who, as if on cue, started to cry.

“Oh come off it, you two obviously came here for something,” Louis said. Liam wondered how he managed to become friends with these people

“Well we all decided that it was probably for the best that Harry come stay with us since the whole confession thing happened, so we’ve come to get his stuff.” Niall said quickly recovering from his sudden breakdown.

“Plus you probably want this place for you and Elle,” Zayn added. Oh god Louis hadn’t even thought about that, he had a good excuse for not thinking about it though every time he tries to discuss what they are going to do after the wedding Eleanor quickly changes the topic. Louis didn’t think anything of it he assumed they were going to carry on their current living conditions until Harry or Danielle got a partner and moved out. Course that probably wasn’t going to happen for Harry now considering he’ll never love again.

“Oh ok so how is Harry doing?” Louis asked.

“Better than what we thought he would I mean he hasn’t watched Pretty in Pink yet so that’s a good sign.” Zayn said.

“Have you got any suitcases?” Niall asked. He hadn’t bothered to bring one of his own, that requires effort and Niall Horan isn’t a man of effort.

“In the airing cupboard, so what is it with Harry and that movie?” Louis was really curious now that all the secrets were coming out in the open, “I mean I know he cries when he watches it but I don’t see why,”

“Which cupboard?” Niall shouted from somewhere deep in their apartment.

“What do you mean which cupboard? How many do you think he has?” Zayn shouted back and went to go after him.

“Ah yes well about that,” Liam started.

“He’s got it in that thick head of his that he’s Duckie,” Zayn finished for him, “Look there it is,” Louis could hear the clunking of the suitcase on the floor.

“Don’t need to be so rude about it,” Niall mumbled.

“Aww I’m sorry babe,” Zayn said. “Look how about I make it up to you tonight yeah? After Harry’s gone to sleep we can,” Their voices suddenly went quiet and all Louis could hear was a few giggles here and there, Louis had never been more thankful in his life.

“Don’t you two have packing to do?” Liam asked finally sick to death of this.

“That’s the best idea you’ve had all day Liam,” Niall shouted. Zayn grinned and grabbed him. Niall panted breathlessly as he was pulled into Harry’s room.

“Shut the door,” Liam shouted after his horny friends. Niall came back with his hair in a raggedy mess and slammed the door. “God I can’t believe that they are having make-up sex over  _that,_ horny fuckers _”_ he grumbled.

“So what were you saying about Duckie?” Louis asked, trying so very hard to ignore what was going on in Harry’s room.

“Well you remember how Duckie was the best friend that was in love with Andy?”

“Yeah,”

“Well..”

“Oh.” Huh “Does that make me Andy?”

“Yep,”

“But I don’t have the sewing skills to be Andy,”

“Missing the point Lou.”

“But Duckie told Andy all the time that he was in love with her,”

“So would Harry had Elle not been here, he’s been trying to tell you for months,”

“Oh god I’m a horrible person,” Louis groaned and put his head in hands

“What? No you’re not don’t be ridiculous,” Liam dismissed the thought.

“Yeah I am, I kissed him as a joke,” Louis confessed

“You what?” Liam asked after deciding to pretend he didn’t know about this. Of course he knew about this Harry practically flew over to Liam’s house. He pretended he didn’t because well Lou likes to be a dickhead and Liam really didn’t want to deal with him being sulky.

“Well the lady we bought the suits from thought we were a couple and I thought it’d be funny if we played along so we did and I kissed him, that was probably his first kiss too.” Louis whined into his hands. Well of course he found a way to make it about him, Liam could only take so much of this. I mean he loved him really but good god he could be a prick sometimes.

“No that wasn’t his first kiss Niall was his first kiss,”Liam said hopefully comforting Louis

“He what?”

“Niall wanted to see if he was gay or not, but that’s not the point,”

“Yes it is I didn’t even know that what kind of a best friend am I?” Louis interrupted. “I am such a dickhead, why must I be so loveable?” Ok that’s it Liam has had enough now,

“Oh for fuck’s sake!” Liam yelled. Louis looked shocked by this sudden outburst. “Look this isn’t about you. You are an egotistical prick whose only concern is you and as much as you try to care about others it always ends up back on you. However, this is not a problem about you this is about Harry who is sitting in Niall and Zayn’s flat thinking that he has just lost his best friend. Now you man the hell up and starting thinking about him for a change and decide what you are going to do with your life.” Liam finished feeling quite proud of himself. Louis looked dazed as he thought about what was just lectured at him.

“I… yeah,” Lou said cautiously. “You’re right, I’m sorry I’m a huge arsehole, I’m going over there now and see if I can sort this out,”

“Good,” Liam said and patted him on the head, he honestly didn’t know when he became this convincing but he was starting to enjoy it. Niall and Zayn finally left Harry’s room looking even more dishevelled than before.

“Everything alright?” Zayn asked

“We heard shouting and then we realised it wasn’t us,” Niall smirked. Louis rolled his eyes.

“Oh for god sakes Niall, some of us haven’t had lunch yet!” Liam nearly shouted out of disgust.

“I am going to go talk to Harry and sort this out.”

“Good,”

“Elle’s going to be upset that you’re leaving her,” Niall remarked.

“Erm Niall,” Louis started.

“Niall honey Lou’s going over there to let Harry down gently,” Zayn said. Niall looked like he was about to cry, all his hard work was about to go down the toilet.  

“But…”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Zayn wrapped his arm around Niall and pulled him into a comforting hug. “Do you mind if we finish packing Lou?”

“As long as you lock up afterwards,” Louis put on his jacket and opened the door to find Eleanor in tears about to knock in the door.

“Oh Lou!” She cried and threw herself at Louis.

“Elle!” Louis exclaimed. He hugged Eleanor with one hand and shooed his friends away with the other. Liam went to leave but Niall and Zayn stayed where they were.

“Come on we’ll listen at the door,” Liam whispered to them.

“We’ll be back later yeah?” Niall asked. Louis nodded. They left the flat and were hanging outside the corridor. Niall pressed his ear against the door and they all followed suit.

“What’s wrong Elle?” They heard Louis say through the door.

“I can’t marry you,” She blurted out. Zayn gasped loudly and Niall pressed his hand against his mouth.

“What did she say?” Zayn hissed through his fingers

“Oh my god!” Liam muttered

“Shut up!,” Niall shushed them. There was an extremely long and awkward pause.

“Oh,” Louis finally said. “Erm why?”

“I had a fight with Danielle,”

“So?”

“She erm said if I was going to marry anyone it should be her and I think I’m starting to agree with her,”

“I don’t…”

“I always thought that my parents would disown me if I didn’t get married to a man and have 2.4 kids or whatever,” She interrupted. “Because you know how fucking posh they are. I wasn’t even raised by them I was raised by fucking nannies. And after my sister got married they were so proud, so I met you and I really really liked you but then I met Dani and liked her a hell of a lot more, but I couldn’t you know. So I didn’t for ages but it was inevitable really, so we kept it secret and we were really good at keeping it secret everyone just assumed we were just close. But then last night when Harry said he loved you my parents said it was a shame you were taken because you two would have made such a nice couple. So I kinda asked them like hypothetically if I were gay what would they do. And they said that it didn’t matter and they’d love me just the same. Of course then I told Dani and she said that we didn’t have to keep it secret any more and then we had a fight because I’m scared of what will happen. But now I think she’s right and its wrong for me to do this to you.”

“So what you’re saying is,”

“I am so so sorry Lou, I should have done this sooner, but we can’t get married because… well because I think I’m kinda gay.” She finished. There was a pause “If it’s any consolation I really thought I loved you in that way and I still love you but you know you’re more like the brother I never had than a husband,”

“Could you just leave Eleanor?” Louis said trying to be emotionless but failing miserably,

“But Lou I…”

“Please,” His voice wavered.

“Shit,” Niall panicked. They looked around for a hiding spot Zayn ran over to a pot plant and hid behind a leaf. Liam rolled his eyes.

“Stairwell you morons,” Liam pointed out. They all ran and hid. They saw Eleanor leave the flat she was crying and she swore at the elevator for taking too long. Eventually the elevator came and Eleanor disappeared. They all came out of hiding.

“Fuck a duck,” Niall said.

“I know” Zayn said.

“You go take care of Harry I’ll do damage control here you’ve got most of his stuff yeah?”

“Yeah, good luck Liam,”Zayn said, Niall saluted. Liam went back to the door while Zayn and Niall waited for the lift.

“I’m glad we got all that relationship shit out the way,”

“I think going long term was the best thing we ever did,” Zayn agreed

“We could go even longer, if you want.” Niall offered nervously. He had asked this more times than he could count. Zayn always said no and then he’d go quiet for a few days. To be fair though they had been dating since they were in high school it wasn’t like they were rushing into anything so why the fuck was Zayn always saying no?

“That sounded smoother in your head didn’t it,” Zayn laughed. Niall nodded. “ But yeah I’d like that,”

“What seriously?” Niall said stunned. He said yes…. he said fucking YES.

“Yeah why not?” Zayn shrugged. “You’d have to ask me properly though,”

“Marry me?” Niall said not believing that this was happening.

“Alright,” He started to say but Niall leaped on him and basically smashed his lips against his over enthusiastically. Zayn wondered why he didn’t say yes earlier.

* * *

 

Zayn and Niall had returned with a enormous suitcase, which Harry didn’t know he owned. They burst through the door and collapsed on the floor. They were panting from having to drag a suitcase up four flights of stairs, at least Harry hoped it was from climbing up four flights of stairs those two had a tendency to be spontaneous with their…. relations. Harry meanwhile was sat on the couch trying to decide what movie to watch next.

“Hi guys, I did some cleaning and there is Mac and Cheese on the bench,” Harry said like the cheerful little fucker that he was.

“Give us a moment to get our breath back,” Niall wheezed from the floor.

“It’s not my fault you two got caught up in the moment,” Harry said

“We were not fucking Harold we were getting the only suitcase you fucking own up those fucking stairs,” Zayn finally stood up “I need a fag,” He dug around his jacket to find one.

“You can have me later,” Niall teased.

“Piss off,” Zayn mumbled. He took his lighter out of his pocket.

“Did you say mac and cheese?” Niall asked propping himself up with much more difficulty than necessary and racing over to his kitchen.

“Did you cook?” Zayn asked blowing smoke in Harry’s face.

“Yep. How was Lou?” Harry asked hopefully coming off as casual, he did not.

“Oh my god we have so much to tell you,” Niall said excitedly

“Why what happened?” Harry asked. Niall grabbed his lunch and joined Harry and Zayn on the couch.

“Well we were grabbing your stuff,”

“And grabbing a few other things.” Zayn muttered.

“Oh yeah, Haz you might want to change your covers when you go back to your place.”

“Ew you didn’t,” Harry shuddered.

“Yeah we did, anyway so we came out and Liam had talked Lou into coming to see you to talk shit out,”

“But?”

“But Eleanor came through the door crying her eyes out, so we had to leave” Niall said

“Did you listen through the door?”

“Of course we did,” Zayn interjected.

“Shut up Zany, So we were listening through the door and get this, Elle said that she couldn’t marry Lou because her and Danielle were a couple and it felt wrong to get married to Lou,”

“No way!” Harry said looking like a stunned mullet.

“And that’s not all,” Niall said. “Me and Zayn are-”

“Niall don’t,” Zayn warned.

“What why?” Niall looked wounded. Zayn thought about what he was going to say.

“Later,” He finally decided, Harry felt awkward watching this he knew what Niall was going to say. It was inevitable that it would happen but Zayn was all thingy about it which he knew would happen. Zayn always got thingy, it was his thing he was thingy about giving up smoking and he was thingy about even getting with Niall in the first place, course it was the best thing to ever happen to him and he knew it but he just had to get thingy about it. Harry did his best to send a look to him that clearly said I am going to tell you off for being thingy about this. Zayn winced.

“So what do we do now?” Harry asked he wasn’t used to being on this end of one of Louis’ trademark breakdowns. He was used to hearing a sound come from his room that sounded like a dying cat playing the bagpipes, he would then walk into his room see him crying and then call the boys.

“Liam’s gonna call us when he think its ok for us to come over I don’t know what’s going to happen with you though.”

“Now we wait,” Zayn said dramatically. And wait they did, they decided to play Mario Kart while waiting for Louis to call. They discovered while playing that Niall knew a thousand more swear words then the rest of their vocabularies put together, that Zayn was spectacularly shit at Mario Kart and that Harry was one ruthless motherfucker. Eventually they heard the phone ring and Niall dived for it. It was Liam, Louis now acted a little less like there was a volatile demon currently possessing him. He also said that it was probably for the best that Harry didn’t come which Harry took with the grace and tact of a duck on crutches. After five minutes of temper tantrums Zayn and Niall took pity on him.

“Fine get your coat on Haz, but if Lou or Li has a go at you don’t say I didn’t warn you” Zayn said

* * *

 

Fuck, just fuck. Fuck fuck fucking fuckity fuck. His fiancèe is gay, just his fucking luck. This is just typical, and he bet that those dickheads were listening in and now they’ll come in here and they’ll be wanting to talk or something. Well that ain’t happening Louis wasn’t going to talk out his feelings today nor is he ever. And there is the knock on the door he was waiting for. He got up and walked over and opened it.

“Hey Lou.” Oh god it was Liam. He didn’t want Liam, Liam would give him a three hour long lecture with an intermission . He wanted Harry because he would just put on Adele and let Lou sing it out… but mostly cry it out. Course he couldn’t fucking have Harry because the prick was in love with him.

“Fuck off,” He said callously to Liam and slammed the door in his face. Liam reopened the door and walked in anyway.

“No.” Liam said defiantly. Louis groaned, why can’t he just leave him alone, god damn this whole friends stick together bullshit. “Are you crying?” Liam asked. Oh fuck no he better bloody not be or this’ll be made even worse.

“I don’t know Liam how about you have your girlfriend of nearly three years dump you for a fucking girl and see how you like it,” Louis snarled at him, he somehow managed to collapse angrily on his couch. Liam just stood and looked at him.

“She did, well she was my girlfriend of one and a half years but still, in fact your ex dumped you for my ex,” Liam said nonchalantly

“Well there you fucking go,” An awkward silence engulfed them, Liam looked like he was about to say something. Please don’t say anything Louis really isn’t in the mood for a lecture and he really wasn’t ready for one he was still in shock.

“Wanna drink?” Liam asked…. Liam was better at this than Louis first assumed.

“Yeah actually thanks.” Liam went over to the kitchen.

“You thought I was going to give you a lecture huh?” Liam asked amused. Louis nodded, “Even I know you don’t need a lecture right now. You need booze and mind-numbing reality TV.”

“Can we watch Grease?”

“No,” Liam refuses to sit through that movie again, besides how is that supposed to help with a break-up.

“How about Rent?”

“Promise you won’t sing along?”

“Deal,” And watch it they did. Although about half-way through Liam couldn’t take any more and asked if he could invite everyone else around.

“Sure,” Louis said not really focusing on the question and more on Mimi and Rodger’s first kiss.

“Even Harry?” Liam asked. He knew he shouldn’t have done that because Louis froze at the mention of his name.

“Erm I don’t know, could he erm not I think,” Louis babbled. Louis wanted Harry to come over of course he wanted Harry, but Harry would come in here all Disney eyes and then Louis would feel so guilty he would explode. He knew it was selfish and mean but he felt like he deserved to be selfish right now. Liam nodded and left the room, he knew they’d ask a thousand questions about Harry and judging from that reaction Lou didn’t need to hear them.

Meanwhile Lou went back to watching his movie when his phone went off. It was Eleanor course it was, it read  _Just told parents, it all went swimmingly will now talk over with wedding planner on how to tell guests the weddings off. Do you want to be involved? xx_

_Oh fuck off_ Louis typed, before deciding that was uncalled for he backspaced and wrote instead  _No thanks_.

_At least tell your mum_ She reasoned with him. How dare she be nice to him, Louis was trying to hate her.

_Fine but I get to keep the milkshake maker I bought you_ Louis replied. He hoped that sounded as spiteful as it sounded in his head.

_You are so immature…._  That better be a yes.

“Who are you texting?” Liam asked once he came back in the room.

“Eleanor, she has strange ideas when it comes to break-ups.” Louis answered.

“Why?”

“She wants me to tell my mum that the wedding’s off.”

“That’s a good idea. Is she telling everyone else?”

“Yeah she’s so bloody nice,”

“That bitch how dare she be a decent human being?” Liam joked.

“She’s not supposed to be nice, she broke up with me she’s the bad guy here,”

“Well she is, she’s just a nice bad guy,”

“Fuck off, she’s a bad human being who could have told me sooner that she was gay like before we started dating.” Louis sulked.

“Oh come on Lou, it’s not like you didn’t see it coming when was the last time you two had sex?”

“I’m not telling you!” Louis shouted defensively.

“Did she always have a headache? Or did she have her period 5 times a month?” Liam smirked “Lou I’ve been through that shit I know what happens when you date a gay woman,”

“She may have said she had an STI and she didn’t want to give it to me,” Louis said meekly.

“And when was that?”

“Nearly a year ago,” Louis admitted defeat, he should have known something was up. He felt like a fool for believing that bullshit.

“Oh Lou, that’s terrible,” Liam said sympathetically

“Don’t you pity me!”

“It’s kinda hard not to Lou, I mean look at you. You’ve lost your best friend and now your girlfriend has left you for her girlfriend.”

“I have not lost my best friend!” Louis protested

“Then why are you talking to me and not Harry?”

“Because…… because Harry is in love with me and it’s awkward,” Louis said clumsily.

“Oh no I’m not buying that, you’re scared you’ll like him back,” Liam said like he was a genius.

“Are you high?” Louis asked. What the fuck is Liam on?

“You are, we all know you secretly like him just embrace it.” Louis couldn’t even tell if Liam was being serious or not.

“I do not like him like that,” And he didn’t not even a little bit I mean sure he missed him but he wasn’t aching for him or anything like that.

“Ok then Lou hide in your denial, well Niall and Zayn’s coming over then we’re dropping you off to see your mum.”

“My mum?”

“Yeah, you need to tell her right?” Louis nodded “Then it’s settled,” There was a knock on the door. “I’ll get it you get dressed.

“I am dressed,” Louis shouted. Honestly this Liam bloke had gotten weirder since the last time he saw him.

“Hi guys!” Liam said then he noticed Harry standing in the back awkwardly. “What the fuck are you doing here?” He practically hissed.

“Well they said it was ok so I tagged along.” Harry said innocently. Liam sighed.

“Come inside then,” Zayn threw off his coat and went to drop ot on the floor “For god’s sake there is a coat rack fucking use it.”

“You are such a fucking mum,” Niall laughed

“Piss off,”

“Hi Lou!” Niall cheered.

“Sorry bout the wedding we heard from the door,” Zayn said.

“Yeah sorry Lou,” Harry said. They all glared at him. God they overreacted.

“Yeah thanks Har-” He froze when he saw Harry smiling at him pathetically. Oh shit, “Harry..” God this is… this is going to be awkward he shouldn’t have come. Lou was glaring at him but not in a mean way more in a I don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to do way, he supposed that was fair enough.

“She was nice,” Harry said. He was trying so hard for this not to be awkward.

“She still is,” Liam said, “She’s telling everyone that the wedding’s off and is having to suffer the wedding planner.”

“That poor woman, she’s a braver gal than I.” Harry joked. He knew first hand what the wedding planner was like when she was angry and he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t want to see her when she’s furious.

“Don’t pity her, she’s a cow.” Lou said finally snapping out of this haze he was in.

“Well she just made a few wrong decisions, she was scared what people would think of her.” Harry said. Oh god this isn’t going to go down well, why the fuck did he say that.

“Maybe she should have told me sooner instead of doing it now,” Louis snapped.

“She was scared Lou what was she going to do? Marry you and then live a lie the rest of her life?” Harry attempted to reason with him

“Two days before our wedding she told me and then fucked up everything,” Louis shouted. That was yesterday… fuck he wasn’t talking about Elle any more was he.

“It’s not her fault, she can’t control her feelings.” Harry shouted back.

“She could hold them in and then not ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to her best friend,”

“Oh she ruined it did she? Don’t blame your fucking problems on her just because she has fucking feelings for her best friend.”

“Why the fuck shouldn’t I?”

“Oh that is so you, I fucking knew you’d act like this, you’re never responsible for anything are you? ”

“What I am responsible for? Nothing that happened here is my fucking fault.”

“I can’t fucking believe you.” Harry muttered.

“Fuck off Harold,”

“Fine I will,” He stormed over to the door.

“See if I care,” Louis grumbled, he just had to have the last word. Harry heard that and that was the last straw.

“You know what Louis I’ll tell you what is your fault. Your girlfriend is gay that’s not your fault, you acting like an arsehole because of it is completely your fault. And it wasn’t the best thing that happened to you because I know you haven’t even kissed her in nearly a year. You were living a lie long before I said anything.” He finished and quickly left before Lou could say anything.

“You are acting like an arsehole Lou,” Niall said after a long silence, he waited for Zayn to hit him but he didn’t, he nodded instead.

“Should we go after him?” Zayn asked.

“Yeah probably. Alright Lou you know where your mum’s staying right?” Liam asked. Louis nodded.

“Ok bye Lou,” Niall said for all of them. And they left leaving Lou on his own and confused.

“Ah shit,”

* * *

 

He loved his mum, he really did but his mum was not the best at serious conversations. For example when he told his mum he was pan she put her hand on his shoulder looked him dead in the eyes and said “I don’t care what you do with our kitchen utensils as long as you soak in in dettol for 24 hours afterwards,” and then burst out laughing. It was really no wonder he turned out like he did. He sighed and knocked on the door. His mum answered the door in all her mum-ish glory.

“Hi Boo!” She greeted and immediately wrapped him up in a big hug. She pulled back and took a look at her son “Are you crying? Why are you crying?”

“Erm I’ve got a bit to tell you.” Louis said awkwardly.

“What have you done now Boo? If it’s anything like the last time then I really wish you would have just called. I don’t think I’d be able to even look at you,” She said, Louis opened his mouth to defend himself. “Oh never mind come in come in,” Louis walked in “You want tea? Of course you do,”

“Where are the girls?” Lou asked as he sat on the chair next to the kitchen counter.

“Anne came to show them around, it’s a big city isn’t it?”

“The wedding’s off Mum,” Louis couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“What did you do to her Boo? You didn’t do that thing you did with Hannah,”

“That thing that  _I_  did? S _he_ was the one who became a bloody polygamist I did nothing.” Louis huffed.

“So did you have something to tell me or did you come here to sulk?” Jay smirked.

“Well the weddings off because she um used me as a cover to hide her relationship with her female best friend,”

“Ohhhh so she is gay, I always thought she was into the girls. It was those plaid shirts they were very ambiguous.”

“MUM!” Louis yelled.

“Oh come on Boo, it’s no big deal. I thought you were a bit young to be getting married anyway” She shrugged.

“Mum stop you are no good at this whole comforting thing. I have just had my heart broken,” He whined

“No you haven’t, I know when you have had your heart broken because you would be on my kitchen floor crying your eyes out.” Jay said.

“I’m trying to be subtle.” He said after thinking about it. He really didn’t want her to know that she was right.

“The boy I raised doesn’t know the meaning of the word subtle.” She raised her eyebrows at him. He stubbornly agreed with her. “Or peace and quiet, did I ever tell you that you were the reason my hair went prematurely grey.” she added.

“Whatever Mum think whatever you want you’re wrong anyway.” He said, Jay rolled her eyes and handed Louis his tea.

“So how’s Harry?” Jay said.

“Were you trying to be subtle there Ma because it ain’t working for you,”

“I’m too old for that nonsense Boo, answer the question,”

“I may have shouted at him that he ruined my life.”

“Oh Lou, that’s not very nice why’d you do that?” Oh well she was sensitive to  _Harry’s_  problems.

“His confession last night gave her the courage to tell her parents and then she told me.”

“But its not his fault Lou,”

“Well I know that but he was there and I fucked up,”

“Yes you did and you’re going to find that boy and apologise,”

“But he’s in love with me,”

“So? He’s always been in love with you that doesn’t change anything,”

“You knew?” Oh my god his mother was unbelievable sometimes.

“Course I did, everyone did. But you still have to apologise,”

“I know Mum,”

“Well good, do you want to go take your mind off of things and go see your sisters?” She asked. Louis nodded. “Well good hurry up then and finish your tea,”

* * *

 

Harry was pissed, that fucker accused him of ruining his life. He hadn’t, he knew that and he’s pretty sure Lou knew that. He sat in his and Louis’ flat, the boys had wanted him to go with them but he wanted to wait for Louis so he can yell his tits off at him. So he waited, Louis was watching Rent so Harry decided to finish it for him. He didn’t particularly like it, all that singing when you’re dying, if he were dying he wouldn’t drag it out like that. But that’s besides the point he’s pissed and he was waiting to scream his tits off at Lou. Speak of the devil he heard Louis bang the door open,

“Bye Mum say goodbye to the girls when they wake up for me,” Louis shouted. He sighed as he took his coat off. He noticed that the telly was on and Harry was sitting down watching it. Ah fuck, Harry wasn’t going to make this easy. “Haz look I’m sorry, I was a prick blaming you and it wasn’t your fault.”

“No, no you can’t apologise when I’m about to yell at you that’s unfair.” Harry whined. Huh well Harry did make it easy.

“Well tough kiddo,”

“Well while we’re on the topic of apologies, I’m sorry about saying you were in a loveless relationship,”

“I was though,” Louis said. Fuck it Harry’s had his turn to talk about feelings now it’s Louis’. “You were right I hadn’t had sex with her in over a year. Every time I saw her she was with Danielle and even when we were alone she’d stop me from doing anything. I guess I haven’t really loved her like that for quite a while now. I thought getting married would help but it wouldn’t.”

“Is that all?” Harry asked. Seriously? Oh fuck him.

“Look I really don’t know what to do about the whole… you thing. And I wish I did but I don’t, so could you just bear with me for a bit while I figure shit out?” Louis asked. He saw Harry bit his lip as he thought about it.

“Ok I think I can do that,” Harry agreed. They both sat on their couch and Harry turned the telly back on. It was near the end anyway and Lou got a little emotional well when Harry said a little he meant he had to physically stop him from loudly singing along. It made Harry laugh at just how pathetic Louis was being.

“God when did we get so angsty?” Louis said as an afterthought.

“Do you remember the good ol’ days where we’d just get pissed and occasionally Niall and Zayn would fuck and then claim they were still heterosexual?” Harry replied. “Oh that reminds me, they’re engaged.”

“What? Seriously?”

“Yeah but they haven’t told anyone yet Zayn’s all thingy,”

“Oh god not that again,”

“You knows he’s gonna leave Niall at the alter,”

“But Niall will forgive him for it that idiot,”

“He really doesn’t deserve Niall,”

“They must have really good sex or something for Niall to hang around for that long,”

“Yeah,” They went back to watching the last song. Eventually Harry said “Look I got to get back to Niall’s and Zayn’s place,”

“Oh… I thought it was overnight,”

“Well no all my stuff is there and well I cook for them so yeah.” Harry explained. He cooked for them? No no Harry was Louis’ cook not theirs, who is going to cook for Louis now?

“Oh ok well bye then,” Oh god it had gotten awkward. Why was it awkward? They agreed this wouldn’t be awkward.

“Bye,” Harry waved and then left.

That night Louis couldn’t sleep, he found himself missing the peaceful sound of Harry snoring. 


End file.
